- Be a secure base for toddlers to return to for “emotional refuelling” when encountering novel situations or social conflict and challenges.
- Create regular opportunities to be in very small groups or one-to-one times with the key person.
- Reduce frustration and conflict by keeping routines flexible so that young children can pursue their interests.
- Understand that “emotional storms” are a sign of a child being overwhelmed by strong emotions such as anger, frustration, fear, anxiety and sadness.
- Show empathy and stay close by to offer support and reassurance as the child calms after an emotional collapse.
- Use real life experiences to help children to understand a wide range of emotions in others and themselves by talking about different emotions as they occur during play.
- Model empathy and talk about the child’s and others’ feelings. For example, Amaya is feeling sad today because she is missing her mummy.
- Understand that young children communicate their feelings through their behaviours and respond by showing empathy for their underlying feelings.
- Demonstrate clear and consistent boundaries without being rigid and unreasonable.
- Take children seriously and understand their motivations and underlying reasons for their actions.
- Show you are supportive by empathising when a child’s attempts at assertion and negotiation go wrong, and help them to find more effective ways.
- Show fairness; apply rules consistently but reasonably and flexibly when necessary.
- Support young children’s rights to be kept safe by others by helping them to assert themselves positively and by respecting their personal space and bodily integrity.
